Bullet proof blinds

Abstract

A blind system comprising a plurality of slats or a sheet having a ballistic resistant material; a control system operably configured to cause a change in state of the blind from an open state to a protective closed state; and a sensing system operably configured to detect a threatening event, wherein the sensing system upon sensing the threatening event triggers the control system to transition from the open state to the protective state such that in the protective state, the blinds are adapted to be resistant to penetration by high-speed ballistic objects such as bullets.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An anti-ballistic window blind system configured for providing in the window of a structure having an interior, said system comprising:
 a valance configured to be mounted at a window; 
 a blind suspended from said valance and configured to be retracted toward said valence to expose the window and deployed from said valence to cover at least a portion of the window, said blind comprising a plurality of slats, wherein each of said slats is comprised of a fabric including a non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties, and wherein said slats are configured to be rotatable when the blind is deployed from said valence for allowing light from the window through said blind; 
 mechanical components associated with said valence for deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode for protecting the interior of the structure from ballistic objects attempting to enter through the window; and 
 a sensing system for detecting threat data indicating a ballistic threat exists; and a control system configured to receive said threat data from said sensor, said control system operably configured to trigger said mechanical components to automatically deploy said blind into the anti-ballistic protection mode based on the received threat data. 
 
     
     
       2. The blind system of  claim 1 , further comprising a panic button configured to trigger said mechanical components to automatically deploy said blind into the anti-ballistic protection mode when actuated. 
     
     
       3. The blind system of  claim 1 , further comprising a remote controller configured to wirelessly trigger said mechanical components to automatically deploy said blind into the anti-ballistic protection mode when actuated. 
     
     
       4. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties includes a synthetic fiber of high tensile strength. 
     
     
       5. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties includes a fabric treated with boron. 
     
     
       6. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties includes an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. 
     
     
       7. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties includes a transparent polycarbonate of high impact strength. 
     
     
       8. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said blind is configured to allow light to enter through a window of an exterior wall of a structure in a non-deployed mode. 
     
     
       9. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure is a vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said slats are held horizontally. 
     
     
       11. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode includes rotating said slats into a closed position. 
     
     
       12. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode includes extending a retracted blind. 
     
     
       13. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode includes automatically rotating said slats into a closed position if said slats were in an open position, and/or automatically extending the blind if the blind was in a retracted position. 
     
     
       14. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein said slats are laminated to include an external ornamental layer on at least one side of said slats. 
     
     
       15. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode includes activating or deactivating an electromagnet. 
     
     
       16. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some of said slats are configured to interlock with an adjacent one of said slats in the anti-ballistic protection mode. 
     
     
       17. The blind system according to  claim 1 , wherein deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode is activated by a home security system. 
     
     
       18. An anti-ballistic window blind system configured for providing in the window of a structure having an interior, said system comprising:
 a mounting structure; 
 a blind suspended from said mounting structure and configured to be retracted toward said mounting structure to expose the window and deployed from said mounting structure to cover at least a portion of the window, said blind comprising non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties; 
 mechanical components associated with said mounting structure for automatically deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode for protecting the interior of the structure from ballistic objects attempting to enter through the window; 
 a sensing system for detecting threat data indicating a ballistic threat exists; and 
 a control system configured to receive said threat data from said sensor, said control system operably configured to trigger said mechanical components to automatically deploy said blind into the anti-ballistic protection mode based on the received threat data. 
 
     
     
       19. The blind system of  claim 18 , further comprising a panic button configured to trigger said mechanical components to deploy said blind into the anti-ballistic protection mode when actuated. 
     
     
       20. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties includes a fabric treated with boron. 
     
     
       21. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties includes an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. 
     
     
       22. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties includes a transparent polycarbonate of high impact strength. 
     
     
       23. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said blind is configured to allow light to enter through a window of an exterior wall of a structure in a non-deployed mode. 
     
     
       24. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said structure is a vehicle. 
     
     
       25. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said automatically deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode includes deploying a retracted blind from the mounting structure. 
     
     
       26. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode includes activating or deactivating an electromagnet. 
     
     
       27. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said blind is comprised of slats including the anti-ballistic material. 
     
     
       28. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties includes a synthetic fiber of high tensile strength. 
     
     
       29. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said sensing system includes a sensor for detecting the sound of a gunshot or explosion. 
     
     
       30. The blind system according to  claim 18 , wherein said slats are comprised of a fabric including the anti-ballistic material. 
     
     
       31. An anti-ballistic window blind system configured for providing in the window of a structure having an interior, said system comprising:
 a valance configured to be mounted at a window; 
 a blind suspended from said valance and configured to be retracted toward said valence to expose the window and deployed from said valence to cover at least a portion of the window, said blind comprising a plurality of slats, wherein each of said slats is comprised of a non-metallic material having anti-ballistic properties, and wherein said slats are configured to be rotatable when the blind is deployed from said valence for allowing light from the window through said blind; 
 mechanical components associated with said valence for automatically deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode for protecting the interior of the structure from ballistic objects attempting to enter through the window, wherein said automatically deploying the blind into an anti-ballistic protection mode includes rotating said slats into a closed position if said slats were in an open position, and/or automatically deploying the blind if the blind was in a retracted position; 
 a sensing system for detecting threat data indicating a ballistic threat exists; 
 a control system configured to receive said threat data from said sensor, said control system operably configured to trigger said mechanical components to automatically deploy said blind into the anti-ballistic protection mode based on the received threat data; and 
 a user actuated device configured to trigger said control system to deploy said blind into the anti-ballistic protection mode when actuated. 
 
     
     
       32. The blind system according to  claim 31 , wherein said slats are comprised of a fabric including the anti-ballistic material. 
     
     
       33. The blind system according to  claim 32 , wherein said sensing system includes a sensor for detecting the sound of a gunshot or explosion.